1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus capable of producing hot, humid air, and more particularly to an apparatus adapted to hold food and the like at a preferred temperature and humidity for a period of time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the food preparation industry, a variety of applications require food to be held for an extended period of time in a high temperature, high relative humidity environment. For example, in many restaurants food is prepared well in advance of the time at which it is ultimately served. Ideally, in this situation, the prepared food should be maintained at a temperature between 160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Conventional ovens and heat lamps, however, tend to dry out the food.
In another application, a high temperature, high relative humidity environment is needed for the preparation of bakery products. In a process known as proofing, dough is typically stored at a temperature between 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit until the dough rises due to a reaction of the yeast contained therein. Unless moist air is present, however, the outside surface of the dough may become brittle and crack.
In an attempt to solve the latter of the two aforementioned problems, U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,963 issued to Cohn et al. discloses a module for producing warm, humid air in a proofing cabinet. The module sits below a section of the cabinet in which racks are provided for holding dough. The module includes an air duct, a blower provided near an intake of the air duct, and a water reservoir and steam generator provided adjacent the air duct. Within the air duct, an electric air heater heats a stream of air as it is blown through the air duct by the blower. As the stream of air blows through the air duct, art immersion heater within the steam generator causes water contained therein to boil, thus producing steam which is injected into the air duct via a steam tube. In accordance with this arrangement, a stream cf warm, humid air is generated and circulated throughout the proofing cabinet.
However, there is a need in the art for an apparatus that is capable of creating and maintaining a hot, humid environment, yet is efficient and user-friendly in terms of both operation and maintenance.